Nairobi – The 4th edition of the Kenyan based flower exhibition IFTEX ended Friday June 5th with good results for all participating companies. Although less international flower buyers attended the show, the quality of visitors was high resulting in a good overall outcome, according to exhibitors. 223 exhibiting companies and 2,778 participants attended the three day fair, that was held in the Oshwal Center in Westlands in Nairobi.
The quality as well as the number of varieties of displayed flowers was astonishing, bringing the trade fair again to a higher level. National and international visitors walked the show for 3 days in a row and filled the aisles daily from 10:00 am in the morning until closing time of the show at 6:00 pm. Even on the last day it was a full house until in the late afternoon. In short, IFTEX once more proved to be one of world’s leading flower trade shows.
The opening of the 4th edition of IFTEX was done by first lady, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta, of Kenya. She was honored by a new pink rose being named after her: “Lady Margaret”.
The awards for the participants in the different quality competitions this year went to the following companies:
-The Best Flowers Quality Award for Breeders in the category “Cut flowers, excluding roses”: Gold was there for Danziger with Gypsophila “My Pink”.
-The Best Flowers Quality Awards for Breeders in the category “Roses”: Bronze was there for Olij Breeding Ltd with the Standard Rose “Long Island”. Silver was there for Select Breeding B.V. with the standard rose ”Mon Amour”. Gold was for Preesman HBV Kenya LTD with the standard rose “New Orleans” and finally Platinum was awarded to De Ruiter East Africa Ltd with the standard rose “Rhodos”.
-The Best Flowers Quality Awards for Growers in the category ”Cut Flowers, excluding roses”: Bronze was there for Elpis Farms with Hypericum “Green Power”. Silver was there for Multgrow Investments with Eryngium “Magical Anita”. Gold was for Oserian Development Company with Phlox “White Cap”. Finally Platinum was given to Utee State with an Eastern Hybrid Lilium “Double Surprise”.
-The Best Flowers Quality Awards in the category “Roses”: Bronze was there for Uhuru Flowers Ltd with the standard rose “Tiara”. Silver was there for Subati Flowers Limited with the spray rose “Shivani”. Gold was for Amor/Omang with the standard rose “Wild Look”. Finally Platinum was given to Ayana with the standard rose “Tycoon”.
The next and 5th edition of IFTEX will take place from June 8 to June 10, 2016. It will be a special edition of IFTEX, as several celebrations and important meetings will coincide with the fair. Besides the 5th anniversary of IFTEX, also the Kenya Flower Council will celebrate its 20th anniversary and Union Fleurs will hold its General Meeting during the week when IFTEX will take place.
Source: HPP Exhibitions